Thursday, 6 March 2014

49 per cent of people think that society is too cynical about those who give says ‘Why We Give’ report

Dear Member of Parliament, I’m contacting you to let you know about the Charities Aid Foundation’s ‘Why We Give’ report, which provides an insight into the reasons that people choose to give their money in support of charity.

One of the key findings was that 49 per cent of people think that society is too cynical about those who give, and nearly two thirds of respondents believe that those who give to charity need to be more vocal about the reasons why they give.

Most people pointed to their personal values, morality and ethics as their main motivation for giving, with three quarters giving because of a personal belief in a specific cause and 71 per cent motivated to give because of their faith.

Even having simple conversations about giving can inspire more people to give. A recent report by the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy found that parents talking to their children about charities increased the likelihood that their child will grow up giving by 20 per cent.

Following the publication of the report, CAF has launched a social media campaign asking people to share the motivations behind their support for charitable causes and tell others about the charities that they support.

We’re asking people across the UK to explain ‘Why We Give’, using the

#whywegive to explain their reasons for giving. We’ll be collating all of the responses on our Pinterest board to help build a better picture of why we give.

We’d be delighted if you’d consider tweeting using the #whywegive to tell others why you support charity. Some messages so far include:

@LeonjWard: Charities play an important role in the empowerment of those who otherwise are 'invisible'. I was one of those. #whywegive#grateful

@ross_yarrow: Great @cafonline campaign on why people give. For me: huge impact I see UK charities making at home & abroad transforming lives #whywegive

@saralvicente: Giving is truly easier than most of us think and has more impact than we make of it - time, goods or money, every little counts #whywegive

All messages will be entered into a competition closing at the end of March, with winner chosen at random winning a £100 charity cheque to donate to a charity of their choice.

If you would like any further information about the ‘Why We Give’ campaign please do not hesitate to get in touch, and I would be extremely grateful if you would consider participating in this initiative.

The Labour Party

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